Art Exhibitions

Remembering and Forgetting: Landscapes in Dialogue attempts to hold the paradoxes of landscapes damaged by purposeful destruction while containing within them the hope of empathetic humanity. Broadly organised into six overlapping themes: State of Urgency  Sunflowers in Mourning, Fire and Smoke, Mining and Damaged Landscapes, Artists Books and Fire Revisited, the exhibition explores the recurring dialogue between different landscapes within Berman’s oeuvre, bringing new perspectives on enduring social and political issues while revealing how historical themes continue to resonate in contemporary contexts.
  
Central to the exhibition’s core themes is Berman's exploration of "rusted ghosts" – reclaimed rusted etched plates that have been cut and re-used to link past with present. These works often show "foreboding traces of war and destruction over faded burnt landscapes," yet always contain "a glimmer of light on the horizon, and somewhere in the image, a sign of life." according to Berman.

Fire and smoke are pervasive in Berman's work but took on particular significance in preparing for this exhibition. A recent home fire that burnt down her office and destroyed all its contents proved extraordinary in its nature and timing. The limited but significant damage awakened memories and feelings about the devastating destruction of the fire at Artist Proof Studio in 2003 - bringing alive Berman's deep creative connection with the power and metaphor of fire to destroy and recreate.

"Smoke evokes fire while also obscuring it," explains Berman. "In that way it masks and reveals, it chokes and beautifies. Fire burns and destroys, it also renews the earth."

This landmark exhibition marks Berman's first solo exhibition in fifteen years and arrives at a significant juncture – both UJ's milestone anniversary and Berman's retirement year after 31 years of tenure at the university.

“While I have sporadically created work over this time, my energy and time have been directed to my work as an educator, researcher and activist. But it feels wonderful to be making art again. Having facilitated over 20 post graduate student exhibitions at UJ, this exhibition has been an opportunity to reflect, renew and reinvent myself as a visual artist in my retirement year.” 

 

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Tel: 011 559 2099

Gallery Hours: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 18:00 Sat 09:00 - 13:00